ENGL105 University of Toronto Russian Culture Essay Please open the file”RUSN 1020 Essay 1.docx” and carefully read the request, the file “English Sample E

ENGL105 University of Toronto Russian Culture Essay Please open the file”RUSN 1020 Essay 1.docx” and carefully read the request, the file “English Sample Essays.docx” is a sample for this essay.

Please choose a topic and write from the 6 topics:

1. How does Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman” serve as a chronicle of Russian history? To

what ends? (note: for this essay you will need to make use of some historical sources. Please let me know if you have any questions about valid sources.)

2. How are themes such as power and powerlessness, as well as order and chaos, civilization and

nature, explored in Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman”? To what ends? How might this poem serve as a comment on the relationship between the Tsar and the Russian people?

3. How does Gogol mix comedy and tragedy, as well as fantasy and reality, in “The Overcoat”?

To what ends?

4. How is St. Petersburg represented in Gogol’s “The Overcoat”? How is life in the city,

particularly for the rising class of clerks and bureaucrats, represented? To what ends?

5. How is nostalgia explored in Goncharov’s “Oblomov’s Dream”, especially in relation to the

pastoral setting? In keeping with the latter point, what kinds of contrasts might Goncharov be suggesting about city and country life? To what ends?

6. Using both the selection from Herzen’s My Past and Thoughts and the essay on Herzen by

Isaiah Berlin, what kind of image do we get of mid-nineteenth political and intellectual life in Russia? Despite Herzen’s strong political beliefs and his commitment to fighting injustices in Russia, what does Berlin see as Herzen’s chief intellectual – even temperamental – characteristic? How does this distinguish Herzen from other political radicals, both past and present? To what ends? English 1205 Sample Essays
Prepared by: Student’s Name
Student #: A00000000000000
Prepared for: Jackie Cameron
Course: ENGL 1205
Date: October 4, 2013
11.
Filling in the Gaps the Storyteller Provides
In both “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe and “The Jewels” by Guy de Maupassant,
there are gaps in the information provided by the narrator that force the reader to think critically and
become more involved in the story (In the first sentence, we can see that the basic topic has been
introduced and explicitly connected to the two stories under discussion). This is a very successful tool
many authors use to captivate an audience, but it brings with it the issue of narrative reliability (This
topic is then expanded upon by being linked to the topic of unreliability). Information may be
withheld by the narrator on purpose in order to twist an event to suit their cause, as seen in “The Tell-Tale
Heart,” or there may be details that go unexplained simply because even the narrator does not understand
what is going on, which is represented well in “The Jewels” (Note that by describing the two different
ways that the two stories deal with this topic, the basic structure of the paper has been laid out, for
these two ways will then be compared and contrasted). The details that are left out of the story, either
because they are unknown to the narrator or perhaps because they are ignored on purpose, cause the
reader to question the events as they are described, leading to a more involved and often more enjoyable
reading experience (Here, in the final sentence of the introduction, the thesis is made clear: that
such gaps are purposeful, for they force readers to interact with the story in a more critical way).
It is worth noting that an abundance of details often obscures as much as it reveals (Topic
sentence: details can obscure rather than reveal. This will then be elaborated upon with evidence
from the text). For example, in “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the unnamed narrator murders an old man
because of his fears over the man’s “Evil Eye” (Poe ). However, the narrator leaves out a great deal of
things about that eye while nevertheless going into great detail about subjects that may cause the reader to
feel empathy for the narrator (Poe) (While it may seem too obvious as a way of setting up an example,
sometimes it is good to just straightforwardly set things up this way. Nevertheless, it will be good to
vary things as you go). The narrator gives precise details about his actions in order to prove that he is
not mad, and yet suspicions about the narrator’s reliability and validity are raised in the reader because
these painstaking details are undercut by the almost frantic way the narrator pleads the reader to see “how
calmly [he] can tell . . . the whole story” (Poe). Note that the narrator says he will tell the whole story,
and yet it soon becomes apparent that no names are ever provided for any of the characters, no dates,
times or locations are offered, and the only positive clues as to the setting is that the main events of the
story take place in the old man’s bedroom (Sometimes, when illustrating an example and its relevance
to your thesis, it may be good to be as declarative as this). Details such as these are only left out when
the person telling the story has something to hide, which establishes readers’ mistrust of the narrator, for
they could be lying in order to draw readers into thinking that murdering the old man was a wise or moral
decision (Again, the note of narrative unreliability is stressed, which brings your reader back to
your original point in the introduction).
Nevertheless, the reliability of the narrator is not always an attempt to sway the reader’s opinion
of an event (Transition word, which stresses the difference between the topic of the last paragraph
and sets up the shift in focus in the new one). In fact, “The Jewels” stands as an example of the exact
opposite, for the narrator deliberately leaves out information that is crucial to deciding how to interpret
the events (While in the previous paragraph the emphasis was on giving too much information, here
the focus is on the opposite, leaving information out). Does the narrator do this because he or she does
not have the information, or does the narrator want the reader to fill in the gaps that have been provided in
the story (Asking a direct question that you then go on to answer can be an effective way of setting
up and then pursuing a point)? In this story, M. Lantin, a man of modest income, is happily married,
but when his wife passes away he is forced to sell what he believes to be her imitation jewelry. However,
he soon discovers that these jewels are not fakes at all; instead, they are quite valuable and are worth at
least “a hundred and ninety-six thousand francs” (Maupassant). What does this mean? Neither M. Lantin
nor the reader are ever told exactly how his late wife came to acquire such fine jewelry despite coming
from a family that was “poor and respectable, gentle and sweet” (Maupassant). The gaps are left to be
filled by the readers, who must content themselves with the narrator’s sly innuendoes, perhaps best
expressed by his frequent use of the word “seemed” (This phrasing brings us back to both the title and
the thesis, as it is always important to stress your central argument and make it clear that all of
your points are being used to pursue it). For example, we are told that M. Lantin’s wife had a “faint
smile which never left her lips” and which “seemed a reflection of her heart” (Maupassant). Has she been
cheating on her husband? Have these jewels been given to her by her lovers (While it can be effective,
as noted above, to use questions, it is important to make sure that you respond to these questions in
some way)? The narrator never explicitly answers these questions, but M. Lantin arrives at what he
believes is the truth, and his revelation – real or imagined – causes him to suspect the worst: (Note that,
while the text has been used within the paragraphs up to this point, a longer passage should be set
aside as you see here. The basic rule is that any quote longer than three lines is a longer passage.
However, be sure to comment on these passages thoroughly if you do use them in your essay)
A horrible doubt plucked at him. She? But then, all the other jewels were also gifts! It
seemed to him that the earth turned . . . he stretched out his arms and fell down
unconscious. (Maupassant)
Whatever truth M. Lantin seems to arrive at, the reader’s position is much less clear, for there is very little
information that can be used to reach a definite conclusion. Once again, the reader must fill in the gaps
(The thesis rephrased yet again. Don’t think of this as over-doing it; instead, think of it as
reinforcing your key argument).
Making readers unable to rely on the narrator to give a correct telling or retelling of an event is a
common tool that writers employ (Again, the basic topic is restated). This device leads the reader to
ask questions about the validity of the information presented, and to reach a number of different
conclusions about what is going on (Once restated, the topic is then discussed in relation to the
preceding argument. In other words, you are going over the main points of your essay). The fact
that the questions about the narrator as a source of information are hardly ever answered is one of the
reasons why short stories like “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Jewels” are still read to provoke critical
thinking and introduce people to the feeling of being an involved and creative reader (The link between
your topic and critical thinking, which had been laid out in the thesis, is once again reestablished).
Details are left out of the story to get the reader to think about the subjects presented in the story, and
although it may be frustrating to be unable to fully trust the narrator of a story, the idea of narrative
reliability creates a delightful twist in what could have been some very bland pieces of literature, for we
the readers are asked to fill in the gaps that the storytellers provide (While your introduction moved
from the broader topic to your specific thesis, in the conclusion the process is reversed. You thus
restate your specific thesis before then going on to ponder some of the wider implications).
4.
The Impact of Poetic Self-Awareness
William Shakespeare wrote a vast number of sonnets, and of these the majority display a keen
self-awareness of their status as poems and works of art (Here the basic topic of self-awareness in
relation to art is introduced). In some cases, such as in “Shall I Compare Thee,” this self-awareness is
displayed subtly; in others, as in “Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments,” the subject is explicitly both
the poem’s status as a poem and, as such, the ability of poetry to live on forever so long as it is read.
Sometimes this immortality is contrasted with other human creations that will not last, such as in “Since
Brass, Nor Stone, Nor Earth,” in which the poem’s self-awareness is used to create imagery that
highlights the war waged by Time and Death against beauty and life, a war that only poetry can win (The
three different examples of such self-awareness which are all explicitly linked to three separate
sonnets. These examples help to set up some of the later points in the essay). This keen selfawareness impacts the way that each sonnet is read and interpreted by the reader. This self-awareness also
strengthens each sonnet’s effectiveness, for it shows how poetry can help the human mind tackle topics
such as death and immortality by showing a way – at least potentially – to live on forever (The thesis
finally stresses that this self-awareness can be connected to a concern over an artwork’s ability to
last and achieve immortality).
The speaker in Shakespeare’s sonnets often expresses self-awareness directly to the reader, for
the speaker often speaks to his subject not only as a lover, but as a poet (The topic sentence: despite
these poems being ostensibly about love, they are just as much about the poet and his creation). As
is often the case, sonnets that begin by discussing a subject’s beauty often end by proclaiming poetry’s
ability to make that beauty live on forever (This ironic contrast is restated in order to stress the point).
For instance, when the speaker declares that his lover will “live in this, and dwell in lover’s eyes,” he is as
concerned about “this,” the sonnet, as he is about his lover or his lover’s eyes (Sonnet 55). Not only can
poetry immortalize its subject, but it can outlast and undo any other creation that humankind has created
(The desire to achieve immortality in contrast to, as noted in the introduction, other human
creations that will not last). Rulers may create statues in their likeness and monuments in honour of
their glory, but these things will all eventually crumble and turn to dust:
Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stones besmear’d with sluttish time. (Sonnet 55)
The time of princes is short, but “this powerful rhyme” will live forever and be untouched by the passing
of time. However, the “you” shall shine only “in these contents” that the poet has provided. In other
words, even though the speaker says that his love will “shine more bright,” what will actually shine on is
“this powerful rhyme,” the poem itself (This stress on poetic self-awareness and the connection
between this and the theme of immortality are again made clear).
Not only can poetry outlast the creations of humankind, but it can even withstand the ravages of
Death itself (The topic sentence: art outlasts not only politics and empire, but Death itself). A clear
example of this can be seen when the speaker uses contrasting images of light and darkness in “Since
Brass, Nor Stone, Nor Earth” to differentiate the black ink on his page to the bright light that it creates:
“That in black ink my love may still shine bright” (Sonnet 65). This brightness will shine on long after
other things are dead and gone, for poetry can “hold out / Against the wreckful siege of battering days,”
and stay beautiful even as Time and Death rage against it (Sonnet 65). Again the speaker seems to be
addressing his love, but again the reader is presented with a poem that is less concerned with love and
more concerned with the potential immortality of poetry (The irony that the speaker is perhaps more
enamored with his abilities as a poet than he is with his beloved is repeated in order to keep the
connection with the previous paragraph). A more direct expression of this contradiction can be seen at
the end of “Shall I Compare Thee,” in which the speaker says that “when in eternal line to time thou
grow’st: / So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee”
(Sonnet 18). The lover’s beauty, which had seemed to be the subject, is supplanted by the beauty and
power of poetry. This is a wonderful example of how the speaker uses the poem’s awareness that it is a
poem to both express the beauty of the subject of the poem and also draw out thoughts on the longevity of
the written word. So long as the poem is read, it will remain alive forever (This is basically a
rephrasing of the thesis, which is appropriate given that it is setting up the transition to the
conclusion).
Such declarations could just be the wishful thinking of the speaker, but it seems to be true, for
Shakespeare’s sonnets are still being read and enjoyed by readers all over the world. The sonnets’ selfawareness makes them special, for they force the reader to put the message of the poem in perspective.
They also provoke readers to ask tough questions about poems, the poets who write them, and the aims of
these poets. Such questions change what would have been just another love poem into an interesting and
thought-provoking work of literature (Once the specific thesis has been restated at the beginning of
the conclusion, the wider ideas can then be noted).
Works Cited
Maupassant, Guy de. “The Jewels.” The Best Short Stories of the Modern Age. Ed.
Douglas Angus. New York: Random House, 1993. 7-13. Print.
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Tell-Tale Heart.” The Best Short Stories of the Modern Age. Ed.
Douglas Angus. New York: Random House, 1993. 1-6. Print.
Shakespeare, William. “Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments.” Immortal Poems of
the English Language. Ed. Oscar Williams. New York: Pocket Books, 1952. 59. Print.
–. “Shall I Compare Thee.” Immortal Poems of the English Language. Ed. Oscar
Williams. New York: Pocket Books, 1952. 57. Print.
–. “Since Brass, Nor Stone, Nor Earth.” Immortal Poems of the English Language. Ed.
Oscar Williams. New York: Pocket Books, 1952. 61. Print.
RUSN 1020 Essay #1
Length: Approximately 750-1,000 words
Citation Format: MLA
Tutorial: Bring your tentative thesis statement to Sept. 23 tutorial
Due Date: Monday, Oct. 7 (hand in a paper copy in class and submit via Brightspace)
Here are some possible essay questions. Choose one. You are allowed to come up with your
own question, but be sure to clear it with me first. Essays should be around three to four pages in 12point font, double-spaced (not including the bibliography). As with the essay samples that I have
included on Brightspace, you do not need a title-page; instead, you just need to include your name,
student number, course number, your teaching assistant’s name, and the date in the top right hand
corner of the first page.
Your essay should have a title that reflects not only your topic but your argument about that
topic; an introductory paragraph that introduces your topic, suggests how it will be approached in
regards to the text, and closes with a clear and specific thesis statement; supporting paragraphs
organized around points that support your thesis and that open with a strong topic sentence; specific
evidence from the primary text itself; a sense of sound and logical transition from supporting point to
supporting point; and a strong conclusion that reinforces your thesis and suggests something about its
wider implications. The essay samples on Brightspace are very clear in regards to what I am looking
for, so be sure to look over these before and while writing.
Be specific, be organized, and be sure to make good use of the text when making your case.
When it comes to quoting from the text, be sure to comment on the quotes you use and incorporate
them into your larger argument. If you have any questions while writing your essay, or if you would
like me to look over a draft of your essay, please let me know.
1.
How does Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman” serve as a chronicle of Russian history? To
what ends? (note: for this essay you will need to make use of some historical sources. Please
let me know if you have any questions about valid sources.)
2.
How are themes such as power and powerlessness, as well as order and chaos, civilization and
nature, explored in Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman”? To what ends? How might this
poem serve as a comment on the relationship between the Tsar and the Russian people?
3.
How does Gogol mix comedy and tragedy, as well as fantasy and reality, in “The Overcoat”?
To what ends?
4.
How is St. Petersburg represented in Gogol’s “The Overcoat”? How is life in the city,
particularly for the rising class of clerks and bureaucrats, represented? To what ends?
5.
How is nostalgia explored in Goncharov’s “Oblomov’s Dream”, especially in relation to the
pastoral setting? In keeping with the latter point, what kinds of contrasts might Goncharov be
suggesting about city and country life? To what ends?
6.
Using both the selection from Herzen’s My Past and Thoughts and the essay on Herzen by
Isaiah Berlin, what kind of image do we get of mid-nineteenth political and intellectual life in
Russia? Despite Herzen’s strong political beliefs and his commitment to fighting injustices in
Russia, what does Berlin see as Herzen’s chief intellectual – even temperamental characteristic? How does this distinguish Herzen from other political radicals, both past and
present? To what ends?

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